The Thieves Guild
by Jake Kerr.
Episode 79.
Simple as that.
Karch was having dinner in his private quarters when a fist pounded on his
door. Only one person would dare to intrude on Karch like that, a
messenger from Lassen. Karch took his time and wiped the gravy on his plate
with a piece of bread.
As the door knock became louder and more insistent, he finished
eating his bread and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
The knocking had changed to pounding, and Karch had to smile as he placed the
napkin on the tray as he stood up. It was a small thing, but
making people understand that their urgency didn't matter to him placed them in the
appropriate mindset as to who was in charge.
"I am," Karch thought.
Opening the door, Karch didn't even let the messenger speak.
With a wave of his hand, he crossed through the door.
I know, I know. Lassen needs to see me.
Karch had one problem: he hadn't apologized to Kerris yet, and he was
unsure how to reply when Lassen asked him if he had.
It was possible that Kerris would be in the room and gloating as Lassen
berated Karch over the lack of apology.
Karch would apologize, of course. All other paths led to the
dungeon or worse, but he wondered if his delay would cost him.
He knocked on Lassen's door and entered without invitation, as he always
did. To his shock, Lassen was standing and looking out his broad window
that oversaw the Lower Quarter. The Craft Guild Tower stood in the distance.
Sir?
Karch stopped in front of Lassen's desk and stood at attention,
his hands behind his back.
Tell me what you think of Orion.
Lassen's voice was calm, and the guild master stood motionless,
continuing to peer out the window. "He knows I didn't apologize,
and he is going to slowly work his way to a rage," Karch thought.
Stifling a sigh, he replied.
He is our most powerful ally. Yes, but I am asking about him as a person.
What do you think of him? Is he dangerous?
Is he the type to betray his friends? Is he dull-headed and harmless?
Karch paused. He always considered that there was more to Orion
than it appeared. In fact, he had pondered whether Orion was creating
some competing plot while playing the role of a bumbling man of the people.
One of the concerns his entire time as deputy was his inability to
keep an eye on the craft guild master, as Lassen commanded that doing
so was a waste of time. Yet Karch knew that Lassen had a specific
opinion, and it seemed pointless to counter it.
He is harmless, a simple man with simple goals.
His lack of sophistication makes him very popular with everyone, but it makes him a good and predictable
ally. Yes, so I thought.
Lassen turned around.
Sit down, Karch. We have a problem.
Lassen walked over and sat down at his desk.
Orion is a problem?
Karch wondered what Orion had done. Was he truly a formidable opponent,
and had he made a mistake? Did he tip his hand in some way?
Karch entered the room assuming it was Orion's nephew that would be the problem.
Perhaps they were related.
He marched in here and told me that I had to stop my plans.
He outlined that they were doomed to failure, and you will not believe why.
Karch's first thought was that Orion wasn't plotting, but had finally
understood the stupidity of Lassen's plan.
This is getting interesting.
Not seeing the flaw in your plan myself, I of course do not believe it.
Exactly. Such comments are nonsensical.
Orion is of a mind that the Wretched Quarter is organized and run by thieves.
Our mission to drive the Harvest Guild members to the Wretched Quarter rather than making the guild
members miserable and open to our message of reconciliation upon Polo's dismissal
will lead to them being cared for, and possibly armed by these thieves.
Despite his suspicions toward Orion's motivation, the fact that he was well
known to rage against thieves made Karch consider the possibility that the guild
master craft was simply letting the stress of Lassen's plan get
to him.
He has always hated thieves. Yes, that was my thought, but there is more to
this. Orion acted differently. He commanded me. Me!
And he was outlining a specific line of attack against us, with one coming from the Greatbridge, and
then another from Trader's Bridge.
Karch nodded his head. The scenario sounded
distinctly possible if the guild members in the Wretched Quarter would organize with the
help of the Harvest Guild.
I'm afraid I don't understand. It was a threat, you idiot.
Lassen's previous calm demeanor disappeared in a heartbeat.
He has clearly partnered with Polo and is going to rally the Harvest Guild members in the Wretched Quarter
against me.
He stormed in here, told me of this threat to me, and for me to change my plans.
Of course, he's smart enough to know that he can't threaten me directly, so he uses this mythical
Thieves Guild as the method. So, if we don't abandon our plan to clear the Lower
Quarter and overthrow Polo, Orion will lead an attack from the Wretched Quarter while Polo
attacks from the Harvest District?
Karch considered the scenario unlikely.
Even if Orion was creating a path to power for himself behind the scenes, he
would have much more to lose attacking Sax and Lassen than going against a single
Polo.
"Yes. Of course, he backpedaled at the end of the meeting, but it was because I was playing dumb and
rejecting his comments by using his own words against him.
He made it clear earlier, however, that he is dangerous."
Larsen's anger was bubbling beneath the surface, and Karch decided to
simply move along rather than ask more questions and risk Larsen
redirecting his anger at Karch.
Of course, Karch thought Larsen's entire plan was doomed for failure
with Orion, let alone without him, so there was no sense in arguing
over details anyway.
"So, what should we do?"
Peering at Karch, Larsen replied.
"First, I want your counsel. You were not there, of course, but your distance is
valuable. What do you think of Orion now that you know of the conversation?
When you first arrived, I asked you that, but now I want to know if your opinion has changed."
Karch was shocked. Larsen appeared to sincerely be asking for input
as to whether his interpretation was correct or not.
He had asked for such advice in the past, but never of anything of such
import. More like, "Should I trust the new chef to cook the
eggs the way I like them?"
Karch's immediate thought was that Orion was speaking the truth.
Even if there were no Thieves Guild or organized thief presence across the river,
the idea that the disenfranchised Harvest Guild members would organize was
reasonable. Yet saying so would be disagreeing with Larsen.
The consequences of that could be dire.
"Orion is looking to betray you, of course.
I have long expected that he is perhaps more savvy than we have considered."
Larsen stared at Karch long enough that he felt uncomfortable, as if
Larsen were weighing the truthfulness of his words.
Finally, Larsen sighed loudly and replied.
"Your conclusion is correct, but your perception of his character is wrong."
Karch wondered if Larsen had asked simply to disagree with Karch, there
being no correct answer.
Larsen shook his head.
"I've always liked Orion, and he's a good man, but something has happened to him.
Whether he is being blackmailed, or scared, or simply gone insane, it doesn't matter.
He must be dealt with."
Larsen held up a finger.
"We must be discreet, but we must be forceful.
Go to Pattis and work with him on assassinating Orion in some fashion that will deflect blame.
He is still our ally, so perhaps we can blame Polo.
Yes, that's the perfect plan.
Kill Orion and blame Polo."
Karch knew the words were coming, but they still shocked him.
Orion was beloved almost as much as Pietro.
His death could reasonably be connected to Polo, so the chances of the
plan succeeding weren't what concerned Karch.
It was Larsen's complete disregard for the power vacuum that would
ensue from Orion's death. The city was already in a de facto
civil war, and Orion's death would seed greater chaos and a greater
likelihood that the entire fabric of the city would collapse.
Yet there was no option in that room at that time other than to agree.
"As you wish, Guildmaster. I will work with Pattis on this right away.
We will make sure that Polo is blamed for Orion's death." "It is as it should be."
Larsen pushed his chair back to stand up, and Karch scrambled to his feet.
As Larsen walked back to stare out his window, he muttered.
"You are dismissed."
But his thoughts already seemed to be focused on the craft tower in the distance.
Karch found Pattis arguing with a Guild Guard captain about clearing the pit.
Word had come that the Harvest Guild families had massacred a group of Merchant
Guild members out of anger. Karch was not surprised.
The pit was a particularly nasty and dirty section of the flats.
"Just kill them all, Pattis. That appears to be your style anyway."
Pattis turned to Karch.
"Where in the name of the gods have you been anyway?
You are supposed to be handling this now that you're back.
I'm not the deputy guildmaster."
"No, you're not," Karch replied coolly, as the guard used
Karch's interruption as an opportunity to escape his argument with Pattis.
"Well, what do you want?
I'm busy trying to clean up a mess that I had hoped you would have handled already."
"Whatever you're dealing with is unimportant.
Larsen has a mission for you, and it's one that is more appropriate for your
talents."
Karch pointed toward the stairway.
"But we need privacy for this discussion.
Let us speak in your office."
Purposefully bumping into Karch as he walked by, Pattis gave Karch a
hard stare as he started toward his office.
"He acts like a child," Karch thought.
Pattis walked over and plopped onto his couch.
"I'm starting not to like you, Karch.
You're nowhere to be found except when you need to order me around."
"I'm not ordering you around. Larsen is."
Before Pattis could reply, Karch added.
"And you never liked me."
Smiling, Pattis replied.
"That's true. So,
what is this new job?"
"You are to assassinate Orion and make it look like Polo's Blade did the job."
Pattis sat up straight.
"Oh, that is interesting."
Rubbing his hands together, he added.
"I have a few ideas already."
"Very good."
Karch paused, wondering if it was worthwhile to ask if Pattis was
concerned about the consequences.
"Is there a timeframe?"
"It's Larsen. You've already taken too long."
Pattis smiled again.
"That's true."
"Larsen will want you to report to me when you finish."
"Of course."
Pattis sat quietly, so Karch just turned and started
toward the door.
He paused at the threshold. Everything screamed to him that he was helping
build his own gallows. He knew that Larsen's plan was a disaster,
but with Orion around there was some hope that Karch could salvage something out of the wreckage.
Now, with Orion being removed, Karch could see nothing but chaos and
death, with anyone at a senior level in the Merchant Guild ending up hanging from a
rope.
He turned to Pattis. "Pattis, what do you think will happen once Orion is dead?"
Pattis looked surprised that Karch had asked him a serious question.
After a moment, he replied-
"I don't care. I have a job to do. I do the job and good things happen.
Simple as that."
Karch nodded. "Yes, simple as that." He walked out and
started down the staircase. He didn't have any good options, but he at least
had options. It would not be long before he wouldn't have any.
At the stables, Karch called up a guild carriage, an open one that was
more for speed than diplomacy or protection.
"Where to, sir?"
Karch crawled up in the back behind the driver.
"The Knight Tower, quickly." "Yes, sir."
The carriage made its way down Merchant Avenue and then around Craft
Tower. Karch could still smell the burning wood in the air.
The carriage was taking the road that ran along the wall all the way to the Knight
Tower.
It was longer than going straight through the Flats, but it would be faster with fewer
intersections and stops, and of course avoided the chaos.
The carriage was fast and Karch's blue cape billowed out behind him.
Unclasping it from around his shoulders, he rolled it up into a ball and placed
it on the seat next to him.
As he rode past, the sound of metal crashing against metal and
screams of pain and anger came from his left.
It was the pit, and Karch could imagine the Harvest Guild members being
dragged from their wretched homes and slaughtered in the streets.
Polo will not be forgiving, Karch thought, and that was one of the
reasons for his journey.
The carriage stopped at the Knight Tower
and Karch climbed out.
From behind him the driver shouted out-
"Sir, you've forgotten your guild colors."
But Karch ignored him, continuing to the Knight Tower with a grim look on his
face. Left behind, his blue cloak flapped in the wind.
(instrumental music plays)